Oral History - all
Michael Guillot has applied his passion for music and education to the music retail segment of the industry, which has led to assisting and influencing retailers throughout the world. One program that has been an influence on retailers stems from his decade-long association with The Best In Show... more
Sam Mosley and his friend Bobby Johnson played music together as teenagers in and around their hometown in northern Mississippi. Together the team formed a successful band and songwriting team that earned them a place in blues history. They began recording for Sabo Records in the early 1970s and... more
Charlie Monk is known throughout Nashville as the Mayor of Music Row! Perhaps it’s due to his long running radio programs, books and TV spots with the top list of performers by his side. Or, perhaps it’s due to his long career in the music publishing industry. Either way, it’s a fitting title... more
Randy McCormick began playing piano as a child and while still a teenager began making money playing in and around the studios of Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He began working at Fame Studios and later for Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Along the way he performed on hundreds of albums including those... more
Dickey Lee grew up in Memphis and began playing at dances and parties at an early age. He would often introduce a new song that he wrote along with the hits of the day. In 1957, Dickey recorded for Sun Records and later became known for his teenage tragedy songs such as “Laurie (Strange Things... more
Michael Puryear is the president of Final Four Music in Nashville, a music publisher that has worked with Amy Grant, The Oak Ridge Boys and Vince Gill, among many others. Michael’s career has covered many aspects of the music industry including being a songwriter himself. In fact, since his... more
Jimmy Nutt is the recording engineer in the Muscle Shoals area of Alabama who established The Nutt House Recording Studio. Jimmy began his playing career as a teenager and he was always the member of the band who took care of the PA and sound for the gigs. As he grew up and saw a need that fellow... more
Floyd Newman is among the most noted studio musicians from the early days of Stax Records in Memphis. As a saxophonist, Floyd became an integral part of the studio band at Stax Records known as the Mar-Keys. He was also a member of the famed Memphis Horns group, which was formed by Wayne Jackson... more
Birth Date: February 4, 1943
Deceased Date: September 5, 2019
Jimmy Johnson was a co-founder of the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama along with fellow studio musicians Roger Hawkins, Barry Beckett and David Hood. The four musicians, known as the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, started playing together in and around Jimmy’s hometown of Sheffield, Alabama,... more
David Hood is the co-founder of Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Alabama. The studio was formed in 1969 when four session musicians left Frame Studios to create their own recording studio. The four, Jimmy Johnson, Roger Hawkins, Barry Beckett and David, were first a well-known rhythm section that... more
Birth Date: January 31, 1932
Deceased Date: January 2, 2018
Rick Hall was born just down the country road from Sam Philips, the founder of Sun Records in Memphis. Perhaps there was something in the Florence River there near Muscle Shoals because Rick too went on to establish a famous recording studio, Fame! Rick entered the music publishing industry in... more
Don Glasgow is the Director of Sales for North America for Grotrian Piano Company GmbH, joining the company in 2013. Don’s role in the company followed a long career in the piano segment of the industry and adds to the rich history of the Grotrian history. Friedrich Grotrian was born in 1803 in... more
Birth Date: November 8, 1942
Deceased Date: August 27, 2019
Donnie Fritts was born in Florence, Alabama, the right place at the right time to grow up to become a studio musician and songwriter. Just a little way down the road from where Donnie grew up was the epicenter of the Muscle Shoals Sound –and Donnie was there, front and center! In the mid-1960s,... more
Jerry Foster was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame based on his long and successful career in music. Over the years he has penned such country classics with his partner Bill Rice as “Southern Rains” recorded by Mel Tillis and “We’re in this Love Together” recorded by Al Jarreau... more
Birth Date: July 15, 1939
Deceased Date: April 12, 2019
Johnny Eberle was passionate about sound recordings ever since he was a small child. Developing a love of audio engineering and it’s rich history, John became an expert and a well known mastering engineer. He worked for Nashville Record Productions for over 30 years before establishing his own... more
Patrick Draine is the piano technician who established the Draine Piano Services, offering tuning, repair, regulation and voicing in the greater Boston area. Patrick joined the local chapter of the Piano Technicians Guild (PTG) in the late 1970s and has been active in the organization ever since... more
Larry Dodson Sr. was asked to become the first singer in the Bar-Kays back in 1970. The band started out as an instrumental group in the 1960s and gained world-wide fame as Otis Redding band. When Otis and four members of the band died in a 1967 plane crash, two surviving band members decided to... more
Jim Coleman Jr. has proudly served as president of the Piano Technicians Guilds (PTG) Board as well as provided classes and training for its members. He grew up in the industry and followed in his father’s footsteps, who also served the PTG over his long career. In addition to tuning, Jim Jr.... more
Diane Cobb is the Director of the Church Music Publishers Association (CMPA). The association was formed back in 1926 to create a united front on key areas that concern its membership including education and copyright protection. Diane has played a vital role in the goal of facilitating outreach... more
Dave Pomeroy has been active during the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville as both a performer on stage for many events and as an exhibitor as president of the Musician's Union in Nashville. Dave’s playing career has included live performances and studio recordings with Trisha Yearwood, Alison Krauss... more